Lily Potter and the Castle of Avalon
by Banestar
Summary: Sequel to Lily Potter and the Book of Curses. Lily goes to Hogwarts her second year, expecting a normal year after her eventful first. Instead she finds that Hogwarts seems to be jinxed with many little things going wrong. But Lily and her friends begin to suspect a devious plan to destroy Hogwarts is behind the scenes, and Lily may be the only one able to stop it. Book 2/5.
1. Danger at Diagon?

**Avalon, The Battle of Avalon, 998 AD**

Merlin's forces had overtaken most of the island. Now it had come down to a final stand by Morgana's army and Merlin's forces; the so called "Order of Wizards" and the Knights of the Round Table led by King Arthur. Morgan couldn't believe that even her enemy, the wizard Merlin would use filthy Muggles like Arthur and his rogues to fight her. She knew that the Muggles would simply turn on them after winning the battle. Morgan's only wish was that she could be there to see the alliance fall apart. Even as she knew this fact as surely as she knew the sun would rise over her island the next morning she also knew her followers couldn't stop the two armies.

From inside the top tower of the castle she watched her army fighting honorably against the enemy. They were killing large numbers of Merlin's forces with deadly curses but for every one of the enemy killed two more seemed to rise up.

"Lady Le Fay," came a voice from the door to her room.

"Enter handmaiden," Morgan demanded.

The handmaiden did so. She looked unsure of herself.

"Milady our forces are about to be defeated," she said.

"Yes I can well see that," Morgan said.

"Well with all due respect shouldn't we flee?" she asked.

"Selene," Morgan said as she walked over to her and caressed her hair.

"Do you not look like me?" she asked.

"Yes milady, you asked me to dye my hair and dress in your garb," Sellene said.

"Yes and you have the same body type, I've been slimming you down with smaller food portions," said Morgan. "And you have the same eyes," she said.

"Milady I do not understand," Selene said.

"Oh Selene," said Morgan. "You'll look like me when I kill you," she said.

Before Selene could run, Morgan pointed her wand at Selene and said "Avada Kedavra."

Jet green light came from Morgan's wand and Selene's scream was cut short as her life was ended. Morgan looked down to see the Knights had broken down the door and were entering the castle. She supposed the time had come. She opened her cabinet and took out her prize. It was a Time- Turner modified to go forwards in time. It had always been her failsafe, her backup plan. The enemy would think that she had committed suicide upon seeing her kingdom fall. Merlin and Arthur's arrogance would keep them from seeing that the dead woman was not in fact Morgan Le Fay. Morgan took a deep breath. It had to be done. If she couldn't rule the past she would have to rule the future. She took a deep breath and turned the Time- Turner.

** 12 Grimmauld Place, 2020**

Albus shook Lily awake. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. What could possibly be important enough to wake Lily up early in the morning during the summer?

"Lily wake up, it's my birthday," he said.

Oh right she had promised to wake up early for Albus' birthday. Lily needed to stop making promises she couldn't (or didn't want to) keep.

"Five minutes," she said groggily.

"Come on Lily," Albus protested.

Lily said a muffled "Fine" and got up, yawning. She walked downstairs with Albus.

"I think it's unnatural that a fourteen year old is so excited about his birthday," said Lily.

"Hey this is important, I'm fourteen. At Hogwarts its my transition year from being an underclassmen to an upperclassmen," he explained.

"You have a reason every birthday is important," Lily said grumpily.

The two siblings walked down to find Harry already woken up. He went over to Albus. He ruffled his hair.

"How's my birthday boy?" he asked.

"Great dad," said Albus smiling. "I can't wait to go to Diagon Alley," he said.

Lily left the two to talk when the newspaper headline caught her eye.

"Dad, Hogwarts has a new headmaster?" Lily inquired.

Harry looked up from his conversation with Albus.

"Yeah, Aurora Sinistra is taking over as headmistress," he explained.

It hadn't been surprising when old Headmaster Slughorn had retired at the end of the year. He had been going on 100 and was getting very forgetful. Lily was surprised that the Astronomy Professor had gotten the job but wasn't too upset. The professor was cold but not mean and Lily didn't have a problem with her. Lily yawned again. She needed a good cup of tea.

"So how do you think your new headmistress will be?" Harry asked Albus.

Albus shrugged. "She's okay I guess, a bit strict but I guess she would be responsible," he explained.

"Maybe okay for you," said James.

Lily's fifteen- year old brother walked in standing tall with his trademark messy hair that girls at Hogwarts went gaga over. He was much bigger than Albus who had his hair neatly combed and was skinny and fairly short. As she filled the kettle Lily watched as James calmly strode over to the kitchen table.

"As I was saying she might be okay for a grade- grind like you…" he started.

"James stop insulting your brother," Harry demanded.

"Yeah sorry," he apologized. "What I meant was that I'd rather have an old snooze like Slughorn when I'm pulling one of my pranks then someone "responsible" like Sinistra," he explained.

"You don't want to get in trouble you mean?" Lily asked as she poured the water, which had been heating on the stove, from the kettle into a cup.

"Precisely," said James ginning.

"If what you did with Slughorn in charge was not getting in trouble I'd hate to see what this year is like," said Albus.

"Yeah well not everyone can be perfect you little git," said James.

"Oh yeah," Albus shot back.

The two brothers proceeded to start a pointless argument. As Harry tried to break it up Lily took out the tea bag she had put in and stirred in milk and sugar.

"Boys stop," Harry pleaded.

"OY STOP BOTH OF YOU!" came the booming voice of Ginerva Weasley who looked like a mess, most likely comig straight from bed.

The two boys ceased fighting. Lily's mother Ginny Weasley had an effect on her children that demanded total respect from them. Her yell was a key part of that effect.

"Happy birthday Albus," she said calmly. "But you two are seriously way too old to still be having a sibling rivalry," she said.

"Sorry," they both mumbled.

"By the way James you should wish your brother a happy birthday," Harry said.

"Sure, I love when Albus' birthday comes around," said James.

"Really?" Lily asked in between sips of tea.

"Yeah I love going to Diagon Alley," said James.

Lily had to admit she liked that part of Albus' birthday too. Since Albus' birthday was so close to the start of the school year, the whole family got to go to Diagon Alley for school supplies. Most years for her that had just been going to the candy store and to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. But this year even though she would have to get school supplies for the second year she was going with a friend.

"We're meeting Jane at the Leaky Cauldron, Lily," Harry said as if on cue.

"Great," said Lily. Since she had met Jane Macmillan the year before she had become one of her best friends along with Seth Thomas.

After everyone got dressed, ate breakfast and took showers they went to the fireplace with some Floo powder. Lily was the last in line.

"The Leaky Cauldron," she said as she jumped into the fire.

She fell out onto the wood floor of the big pub. She looked up to see the rest of her family standing up and Professor Longbottom's wife Hannah tending the bar. Ginny and Hannah were already talking to each other.

"So I heard with Sinistra taking over, Neville is now Deputy Headmaster," said Ginny.

"Yeah, he's really moving up the ranks," said Hannah.

Just then Lily heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Nice seeing you again, Potter," said Jane.

"It's good to see you showed up Macmillan," said Lily in mock snobbery.

They both burst out laughing.

"So you heard about Sinistra taking over?" asked Jane.

"Yeah, you here about Avalon?" asked Lily.

"You mean it being flooded? Yeah. I don't much care though," she snorted.

"Why not?" Lily asked.

"It's just a dumpy island. No one lives on it, so who cares if it's going underwater?" Jane asked.

"But it's where one of the most famous battles of all time took place. It's sad to see rich history go to waste," Lily pointed out.

"You sound like Seth," Jane said.

"Where do you think I got the news from?" Lily asked.

Jane snickered.

"Lily lets go!" said Harry and the Potter family along with Jane and her dad stepped out onto Diagon Alley.

As the family walked down the street there was a fair amount of pointing and staring. Lily was used to it, she had dealt with it her entire life. That was how it was when you were the daughter of the man who defeated Lord Voldemort. Harry was a living legend in the Wizarding World. Lily, Jane and Seth had also gained brief fame for their adventures the year before. But the public just knew that they had helped capture a Death Eater, no details. In the high paced media of the Wizarding World this had become old news.

"What're we getting for school supplies?" asked Jane.

"First we need new textbooks for Charms," said Lily.

The girls spent the rest of the day getting supplies from their list. The two finally ended up in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Jane had been particularly captivated, by the upgraded Extendable Ears. Lily couldn't afford it now but remembered to put it on her list for Christmas. The day had gone great until they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron to head home.

Lily had fallen behind the rest of the group when she heard two shadowy figures talking.

"Yes they're very intelligent, genetically engineered," one voice said.

"They'll work well I think," said a lower voice.

"Good, the Dark Lady will be pleased with us," said the first voice.

Those words made Lily's blood run cold. She remembered that Alecto Carrow had mentioned the Dark Lady in the Forest last year. If she actually existed… Lily didn't want to think about it. She walked in the direction she had heard the voices but the two figures had disappeared.


	2. Buzzing at Hogwarts

Lily went to her usual compartment on the Hogwarts Express to find that Jane and Seth were already sitting in it. She sat down next to Seth.

"Hello Seth, how was your summer?" she asked.

"It was fine," Jane interrupted.

Seth shot Jane a look.

"I can answer on my own," he said.

"All right, all right," Jane conceded, holding up her hands.

The rest of the ride went by quickly with the trio making small talk about how their summers were. More than once Seth expressed his remorse over Avalon's flooding.

"It's a disaster. It's like a museum of knowledge being submerged," he said.

"More like a bunch of dust being cleaned out," Jane said.

Lily had decided not to bring up what she had heard in Diagon Alley. It had probably been nothing and even if it was something what could they do? She just had to hope for the best. The train stopped and minutes later they entered into the Great Hall. Lily and Jane sat at the Hufflepuff table while Seth took his place at the Gryffindor table. Lily talked to some of the other Hufflepuffs in her year; Ethan Jordan, Grace Dawes, the Scamander twins and Irene Alou. She also knew a number of older students from the Quidditch Team. The Hall quieted down as Neville Longbottom the Herbology teacher started to speak.

"As deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts I'll be starting the sorting of first years," he explained.

He pulled out the Sorting Hat which broke into song about the Founders and their houses.

"Kinda weird watching the Sorting your second year," Jane whispered to Lily.

Lily remembered with chagrin her sorting. The Sorting Hat had quickly sorted her into Hufflepuff. Students had been surprised at a "mighty Potter" being sorted into lowly Hufflepuff, especially since all the Potter- Weasleys before had been sorted into Gryffindor. But eventually she and everyone else had adjusted, and she had proved how great Hufflepuffs could be.

Snapped back into reality she realized they had already gotten to "C's" in sorting. No one she really knew was sorted into Hufflepuff except for Robin Wood the daughter of former pro Quidditch player Oliver Wood. Lily had met her once when her father had gotten her Wood's autograph when she was seven. The Hufflepuff table cheered extra hard when they got her.

"We're stealing one from Gryffindor every year," Elliot Applebee, the Hufflepuff Quidditch Captain commented.

After the Sorting ended Neville sat down next to the other major staff members Professor Bones, Professor Flitwick, Professor Krum and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Loren Butler. Sinistra, the new Headmistress walked up leaning on a thin, black cane.

"Attention all new students, before you start your feast I want to announce some rules," she said.

She began to list the basic rules about not staying up past curfew and staying away from the Forbidden Forest.

"And for older students don't think that I'm a pushover because I'm new," she said looking at James pointedly.

"One more thing," she said. "I think you all noticed the sheet covering the wall over my head."

Lily hadn't noticed. She looked up to see a white sheet clearly covering something on the wall. Sinistra pulled the sheet off to reveal a huge jewel that was set up on the wall. It had to be quite a few feet in area. It was diamond shaped and glowed blue.

"This decoration was generously donated to us by a former Hogwarts student and should be enjoyed and treated with respect by all students," she said "Now eat."

Lily found no drop in the quality of the feast from last year. As she bit into the roast Jane asked her a question.

"Who do you think donated the jewel?" Jane asked.

"I don't know," Lily said after swallowing the food. "Must be someone with some money," she said.

After the feast was over Seth stopped Jane and Lily before they went back to their dormitories.

"So how did you think the feast was?" he asked.

"Great just like last year," Lily said.

Then out of nowhere she tripped on nothing. As she got up she knew exactly who it was before she even turned around.

"Oh sorry Potter my wand accidentally went off," said Klara Chang flanked by her Ravenclaw friends, Lake and Corner.

"Just going back with my house," Lily said through clenched teeth.

Since the beginning of last year she and Klara had reviled each other and she sometimes found it a wonder how she resisted the urge to throttle her.

"Yes I saw you got that Quidditch player's daughter in your house," she said. "I think the hat must be drunk to put her in Hufflepuff but I guess she may turn out good despite being exposed to you," she said.

"Better with you and your friends," Lily shot back.

Klara laughed.

"Anyone would be better with me, except maybe you. But I've got to get back to my house. Ta ta!" she finished walking away.

"Looks like Klara's going to be an arse again this year," Jane said snidely.

"For sure," Seth said. "Well I'll see you guys for our first day of classes tomorrow," he said.

Lily and Jane walked down to the Hufflepuff Basement. They entered into the Common Room. Soon they were deep into a game of Wizard's Chess. But Lily's mind wasn't on the game. She knew she should really tell Jane what she had had heard in Diagon Alley. She started to speak.

"Jane about when we went to Diagon Alley this summer…" she started.

"What?" Jane asked.

"Uh nothing just wanted to say I had a great time," she said.

"Yeah I did too," said Jane.

"Great," Lily said.

Lily tried to forget about it, but it continued to trouble her into the night. She lay awake after lights out hearing the sound of Jane snoring. _I'll tell her and Seth soon _Lily decided. But as she started to nod off she heard another sound in the background. It was a buzzing sound like a swarm of bees and it seemed to be coming from above her. Then, seconds after it started it stopped. It might just have been one of the sounds the old castle made. Still, with Lily's unusual life in the last two years who knew what it could be?


	3. James Potter's Marauders II

The next day the second years got their new schedules. Lily anxiously took hers but before she took a look Jane filled her in.

"Today we have Double History of Magic first with the Slytherins, boring of course. Then we have Potions with the Ravenclaws and Charms with Gryffindor," she said.

Lily groaned. Any class with Klara Chang's house was a minus and as Jane had said Double History of Magic was sure to be incredibly boring. Charms wasn't too bad though and Gryffindor was surely the most bearable of the houses, mostly due to Seth.

History of Magic was as boring as Lily had expected with Binns droning on about a Werewolf Civil War which he managed to make boring with long descriptions about the leaders of the two sides. Lily had to wonder how the class managed to stay awake. Next in Potions Professor Krum was showing them how to make Sleeping Potion. Lily partnered with Jane. Unfortunately they made a few mistakes and had to start over. Jane yawned.

"This potion is really strong," Jane said. "I'm getting tired just making it," she finished.

The two girls broke down giggling until Professor Krum told them to focus. They managed to put together a fairly good potion. Finally Charms came. Seth sat with them as Flitwick taught them the Water charm, "Auguamenti". Lily enjoyed the first part of the class where Flitwick told about the historical context of the charm. Apparently, in a recent development her Aunt Hermione had made a water blasting charm by combining the charm with the blasting curse "Confringo."

Once they were in a group with Seth Lily thought of telling them about what she had heard in Diagon Alley but was distracted by getting the spell right. Only Seth seemed to be getting it.

"Why isn't this working?" Jane asked exasperatedly.

Nothing was coming out of her wand while just a few drops came out of Lily's into the goblet that Flitwick had given them all.

"You're swishing your wand in patterns too straight," he said. "It's curve up curve down like a sideways S," he said.

He demonstrated and a jet of water sprayed from his wand into the cup. Lily tried it. A choppy stream went into her cup.

"That's better, Lily," Flitwick squeaked as he came over.

Then suddenly Jane's wand backfired and the water shot up into her face. She spit out water and Lily resisted the urge to laugh. It looked like Seth was trying to do the same.

"One word from either of you," said Jane "And I will hex you."

The rest of the week went by in a blur. In Herbology, Neville had them watering Oblivoleaves. They had to be careful because if they touched the plants it would wipe a small portion of their memory if they touched them.

In D.A.D.A. they were learning the Curse of the Bogies, which was interesting despite a long wait for Professor Butler to get her lesson together. The American professor was disorganized and it was not uncommon for her to take a while to get the lesson started. Lily was partnered with Irene Alou while Seth was partnered with Jane.

"I'm so scared I won't get this," Irene said "You ready?" Irene asked.

"Yes," Lily said.

She didn't understand why Irene was so worried. It was only their first class. As they started practicing Lily realized Irene had no reason to worry. She did even better than Lily. They finished up. The last subject of the day was Transfiguration, Lily's best subject. She was easily able to turn a hat into a rabbit.

"Nice work, Lily," Professor Bones said as she passed by.

The next week Lily had still not told Seth and Jane about what she had heard in Diagon Alley. Now she was sitting with Seth and Jane at lunch where they were arguing over Quidditch teams.

"The Tutshill Tornados are the best team in Quidditch, Seth. Five titles in ten years! When's the last time Cannons have one?" Jane stated.

"Not much recently but we still have more wins _over all_," he pointed out.

"Not for long at the rate we're winning," Jane argued back.

"What do you think, Lily?" Seth asked.

"Hey I'm a Harpy for life," Lily said referring to the Holyhead Harpies an all women's team that her mother had played for.

Then suddenly she was taken from her thoughts by a piece of parchment that had appeared on her table in front of her. She picked it up and read to see her brother James' sloppy handwriting.

_Dear sis,_

_You have been cordially invited to an adventure like no other. James Potter's Marauders II have organized their "start of term prank" and because of your accomplishment in rule breaking your first year you have been offered a chance to help carry it out. If you accept come meet in the laundry room on the second floor in one hour._

_Sincerely, Your amazing (and quite handsome) brother James_

_P.S. You can bring your friends too_

"Look at this," Lily said smiling and handed the letter to Jane and Seth.

They read it over quickly. Unsurprisingly, Jane was all for it while Seth was against it.

"It's a bad idea to get in trouble with the new Headmistress," he said.

"Please, this is a James Potter prank. It's way too important to pass up," Jane exclaimed.

Lily thought about it. She wasn't too keen on causing trouble, but it was true that her brother's start of term pranks had become legendary during his tenure at Hogwarts. Last year he had flooded all the school's bathrooms, which Lily probably would have noticed more if she hadn't been concerned with bullying about being sorted into Hufflepuff.

"I think Jane's right," she said. "This is something we can tell our grandkids about," she joked.

"Thank you Lily!" said Jane.

"I guess I'm outvoted," said Seth.

After a mildly interesting Potions lesson, the Trio went to the small laundry room where quite a few house elves were magically operating the washing machines. But behind them were a group of students.

"Hey it's our newest member!" James said.

Lily walked over and the Marauders II began cheering. Lily saw James was with his cousins Fred and Roxanne, a Gryffindor named Charles Finnigan and Ravenclaw Jack Colins.

"So Lily who are your friends?" Charles asked.

"I know she brought that one home for Christmas," James said pointing to Seth. "And you're Jane Macmillan aren't you," he said.

"Yeah I am," Jane said.

"How does he know you?" Lily asked.

"You mean aside from the fact that I helped you stop a former Death Eater?" Jane asked. "I tried to burn down a Slytherin banner at a Quidditch match in my first first year," she said.

"You were really a piece of work," said Lily.

"Still am," she said smiling.

"And that's the kind of people I like to hang with," James said. "Now I'd better fill you in on the prank," he said.

He first took out a map, which looked old and yellow. He opened it by saying "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." It was a map of the Hogwarts grounds, complete with moving people whose names were shown on the map. He pointed to a place marked Whomping Willow.

"If you don't already know the Whomping Willow is a living, moving tree on the edge of the Hogwarts grounds," said James. "But using this map I have found a secret passageway to the Shrieking Shack," he said.

"What's that?" Lily asked.

"It's supposed to be the most haunted house in Britain," said James.

Lily thought she heard Seth mutter "Brilliant" sarcastically.

"But don't worry that's just a legend," he said.

"The more important thing is that everyone else thinks it's really haunted," said Colins.

"Now here's where we come in," said James.

Fred and Roxanne pulled out two small cubes out of their pockets.

"These are our creations," said Fred.

"We call them Loudmouths," Roxanne finished.

"What do they do?" Jane asked.

In response Fred and Roxanne slammed their fists down on the cubes in unison. Immediately an extremely high- pitched noise came from the cube. Lily covered her ears and the house elves flew away in fright. James put a dirty rag over the two cubes and they stopped.

"That's how loud two are," James said. "We have thirty, that'll be so loud they'll hear it in the castle," he said. "Kids'll be scared from the start, more scared when they realize it's coming from the Shack, it'll be hilarious," he finished.

He tossed Lily the rag.

"Hold this," he said.

"When do we start?" Finnigan asked.

"Tonight," James said grinning maniacally.

The rest of the day went by unbearably slow for Lily. She could hardly wait to help make the prank happen. She had to admit it was a brilliant idea. It would also be fun to break rules just for fun, not because of some evil lurking around Hogwarts.

She went out to the grounds with Seth and Jane and saw it was starting to get dark. They met up with the rest of the Marauders II.

"You guys ready?" Fred asked. They all nodded.

"All right just follow us," he said.

They followed James. They stopped at a humongous moving tree that had to be the Whomping Willow. James started to speak.

"All right we'll be in two groups. Me, Jack, Charles and Lily will go first. Fred and Roxanne you stay behind with Seth and Jane. In five or six minutes we'll call you if everything's safe," he said.

"Let's go," he said.

Lily followed James and the other two boys into the dark passageway.

"Lumos," James said and his wand lit up the path in front of them.

After about half a minute of walking Colins yawned.

"Merlin I'm tired," said Colins.

"Bloody hell didn't I tell you to get a rest before we came," said James.

"Actually I'm feeling tired too," said Finnigan.

Then suddenly both their eyes closed and they fell to the ground.

"What in-," James started before yawning too.

Lily also began to feel drowsy.

"There's something in the air," Lily started. "That's making us fall asleep," she barely finished.

James now succumbed to the air and fell asleep. Things were getting worse. If they didn't get out of the passageway, whatever it was in the air might kill them. Then Lily remembered the rag. She took it out of her pocket and put it over her mouth and nose. She raised her wand.

"Wingardium leviosa," she said into the rag.

Finnigan's body was levitated. She led it out and dropped him outside the passageway. She ran back and performed it on Colins next. This time it took two tries but she managed it. Then she went back the last time for James. She was feeling more and more tired. The gas must be getting through her rag.

She cast the levitating charm again. She led her brother out and then dropped him halfway through losing connection with the charm.

Summoning her last bit of strength and determination she took her brother's arm and dragged him the rest of the way. She finally managed to drag him and herself out of the passage before finally falling asleep.


End file.
